Seroreactivity to SARS-CoV-2 in individuals attending a university campus in Bogotá, Colombia

Abstract

Most community-specific serological surveys for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies have been performed in healthcare workers and institutions. In this study, IgG antibodies specific to the virus were evaluated in individuals working at a university campus in Bogotá, Colombia. Our aim was to determine previous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in those attending the campus during city lockdown. A total of 237 individuals including 93 women and 144 men were evaluated using chemiluminescent detection of IgG anti-N-viral protein between November and December 2020. There were 32 positive individuals, i.e., a seroprevalence of 13.5% (10 women and 22 men) mostly asymptomatic (68.75%); we identified three clusters of seropositive individuals. Only 13 of the seropositive individuals had previous positive detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-qPCR performed on average 91 days before the serological test. Seropositive individuals did not come from the boroughs with higher percentages of SARS-CoV-2 cases in the city. The survey was carried out after the first peak of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the city and before the preparedness to reopen the campus for students in 2021, which demonstrates a low seroprevalence in a high percentage of asymptomatic individuals. These results will help to evaluate some of the strategies stablished to control virus spread on the campus or other similar communities.